Batavia City Council to vote Monday on higher tax levy

Batavia will ask for $300,000 more in property taxes next year, with plans to spend the increase on stormwater drainage work.

Aldermen on Tuesday recommended increasing the corporate fund to $1.985 million, up from the $1.65 million it collected this year.

The corporate fund levy goes to pay for general operations, such as salaries and supplies. There are also levies for pensions, debt and fire and police protection.

The council will vote on the levies, as well as the budget, at its meeting Monday.

The proposed 2017 budget calls for spending $132.2 million.

The city expects to spend about $1.6 million more on drainage capital projects than it did in 2016. It also will be spending about $18 million to begin expansion and refurbishment of its sanitary sewage treatment plant.

The budget also includes money to hire a communications coordinator.

And it counts on receiving more money from the monthly leaf and brush pickup fee. The council will discuss raising that fee by a $1 a month at its Dec. 13 committee meeting.